dragonfly

noun

drag·​on·​fly ˈdra-gən-ˌflī 

: any of a suborder (Anisoptera) of odonate insects that are larger and stouter than damselflies, hold the wings horizontal in repose, and have rectal gills during the naiad stage

broadly : odonate

Illustration of dragonfly

Examples of dragonfly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Butterflies, dragonflies, and birds returned, and, in 1985, the area reopened as Camley Street Natural Park. —Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025

The exhibit includes more than three dozen glass and steel sculptures ranging from butterflies and dragonflies to bees. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025

Roosting Dragons by Daniel Trim When dragonflies gather in England’s Ham Wall Nature Reserve, the morning hours offer a unique glimpse into their behavior. —Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2025

That was a big surprise to Christofer Brothers, who studies dragonflies and damselflies at UC Davis. —Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dragonfly

noun

drag·​on·​fly -ˌflī 

: any of a group of large harmless insects that have four long wings held horizontal and sticking out instead of folded to the side next to the body when at rest and that feed especially on flies, gnats, and mosquitoes compare damselfly